CAR REGISTRATIONS fell by 44.4% in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders - a bigger fall than after the financial crisis of 2008.
Covid-19 is undoubtedly the biggest reason for the steep decline in registrations, with the spread of the virus causing showrooms around the country to close their doors. The number of deaths caused by the virus in the UK will likely surpass 5,000 today .
In light of the figures, the SMMT has downgraded its 2020 sales prediction to 1.73m units, 23% lower than its previous...Read more ...

Coronavirus outbreak shuts factories and dealerships, causing steeper decline for car registrations than during the 2009 recession
New car registrations in the UK plummeted -44.4% year-on-year last month, as the coronavirus outbreak closed showrooms and kept customers at home .
The latest figures from the SMMT show that 254,684 new cars were registered in March, 203,370 fewer than in the same period last year. The organisation has now adjusted its market outlook for the year ahead, predicting that 2020 will see a total of 1.73m new car registrations in the UK, down -23% on the prediction...Read more ...